I, the California Budget, Am Worried I Might Be Too Big

Before We Throw More Money at Our Problems, We Need to Redesign Our Broken Systems

Do you really think that bulking me up with your billions will solve California’s post-pandemic problems?

I, the California budget, am bigger than ever right now—more than $267 billion, according to Governor Newsom’s recent revision of me. And please don’t think I don’t appreciate being more swole than Schwarzenegger—I remember how lean and gaunt I got in the Great Recession. When the pandemic first hit, everyone, including me, thought I’d be much smaller by now.

Instead, I’m projected to have a $38 billion surplus. You might think that this would make me …

by THE CALIFORNIA BUDGET, as told to JOE MATHEWS | June 8, 2021

Why It’s So Tough to Grow Old in Hawai‘i

The Aloha State’s Isolation and High Costs of Living Make the Challenges of Serving Seniors All the Harder

by Jim Shon | October 3, 2018

As our nation’s population rapidly ages, each state’s future depends on the ability of its senior citizens to adapt to the accelerating pace of change. Hawai‘i is no different, and has …

How Medicare Both Salved and Scarred American Health Care

The 52-Year-Old Federal Program's Successes Reflect a Complex Legacy

By Julian E. Zelizer | February 17, 2017

Before Congress passed Medicare and Medicaid in 1965 millions of elderly Americans lacked health insurance. They could not afford to go to the hospital, nor could they cover the …

How Being in Good Health Can Save Californians Money

An Economist Explains How Every Dollar Invested in California Public Health Is Worth $67

October 19, 2016

It might seem odd to try to attach a dollar value to health—like trying to quantify love or happiness. But, in fact, a recent study did attempt to measure the …

My Family’s Obamacare

Forget the Talking Points. Health Reform’s Impact Will Be as Varied as We Are.

by Micah Weinberg | July 23, 2013

How will the Affordable Care Act affect my family and me? The answer, like the law itself, is complicated. There will be as many stories about health reform as there …

What the Heck Are Medicare Vouchers?

A Rundown On What They Do, How They’re Meant To Help, and Why They Probably Won’t

by Ted Marmor | September 25, 2012

Enacted in 1965 and implemented in 1966, Medicare, which largely covers the healthcare costs for America’s seniors, has become one of the federal government’s most beloved programs. It’s also one …

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